The Paul T. Minerich Papers document the court cases of draft resisters who were court-martialed in 1944 in Ft. McClellan,
Alabama. The resisters, also known as DB Boys (Detention Barracks Boys), were court-martialed and sentenced to a dishonorable
discharge and forfeiture of pay. In 1981 their sentences were overturned. The papers comprise of court-martial documents,
correspondences, and notes that were collected by their lawyers, Charles Edmund Zane and Paul T. Minerich.

Background

The Paul T. Minerich papers document the court cases of draft resisters who were court-martialed in 1944 in Ft. McClellan,
Alabama. The resisters were court-martialed for refusing to be trained for combat while their families were incarcerated
in concentration camps. On March 20, 1944, forty-three infantry trainees were ordered to march to a field house to hear an
orientation by their training commander. The group began to march, but soon stopped and refused to continue. A soldier was
ordered to take the names of those who had disobeyed orders, but they refused to identify themselves and were placed under
arrest. Twenty-one of these men were eventually convicted and tried for violating the 64th Article of War (willfully disobeying
a direct order by a superior commissioned officer). The resisters, also known as the DB Boys (Detention Barrack Boys), were
sentenced to a dishonorable discharge, a forfeiture of pay, and confinement to hard labor for 5 to 30 years. In November
1945, their sentences were reduced by a special clemency action and in 1946 they were put on parole and released.

Extent

1.5 linear feet

Restrictions

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Collections
Management and Access Unit at the Japanese American National Museum (collections@janm.org).

Availability

Collection is open for research by appointment only.
Please contact the Japanese American National Museum Collections Management and Access Unit by email (collections@janm.org)
or telephone (213-830-5615).